Sprinkler-head.



A. c. Roys/LEY. SPRINKLER HEAD.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.28| 191?.

1967,90?. Patented May 28,1918.

ARTHUR CQ CROWLEY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO GLOBE AUTO- MATIC SPRINKLER COMPANY, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA- TJION 03F PENNSYLVANIA.

SPRINKLER-HEAD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented `lltay 2%, 1919..

Application led September 28, 1917. Serial No. 193,712.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that li, ARTI-run C.. RowLnY, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented a Sprinkler-Head, of which the following is a specication.

One object of my invention is to provide a sprinkler head which shall include a novel arrangement of valve and fusible link particularly designed to facilitate the assembling of the parts and their subsequent re' ltention in certain definite positions ;an

other object being the provision of a novel form of fusible link having its parts so designed and arranged that there is but a relatively small leverage on the soldered joint. As a consequence higher pressures may be applied to said link with a View to increasing its certainty of action under predetermined conditions.

li further desire to provide a novel form of fusible link which in addition to possessing relatively extensive coperating soldered surfaces, shall likewise have a relatively high structural strength in order that it may remain in condition to satisfactorily perform its functions regardless of the effects of corrosion.

l also desire to provide a link whose parts may be conveniently made of stamped or pressed metal and which shall be of such form as to be conveniently assembled ;-the invention also contemplating a simple and substantial form of sprinkler head including a fusible `link mounted to serve as a compression-resisting strut of such design as to insure the separation of its parts and the `operation of the sprinkler when the temperature in its vicinity rises tofor above a predet0 termined point.

These objects and other advantageous ends li secure as hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying draw ings, .in which- Figures 1 and 2 are respectively front and side elevations of a sprinkler head constructed according to my invention;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the solder- `connected elements forming part of the link devised by me;

Figs. 4 and 5 are perspective views of the valve andr its washer forming part of the .sprinkler head; and

Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9 are perspective views of the parts of the fusible link.

ln the above drawings, 1 represents the tubular body of the sprinkler head which has one end externally threaded for attachment to the pipes of a sprinkler system. The opposite end of this body is formed to provide a valve seat 3 on which is mounted a dished washer 4L and a valve 5. The latter is characterized by having on its outer face a projecting boss `6 transversely slotted at 7 and having at the center of this slot a projection 8 designed to enter a correspondingly formed recess 10 in one end of a fulcrum plate 9 hereafter referred to.

Projecting upwardly from opposite sides ofthe body l are the arms 11 of a yoke which at its central portion is thickened to provide a boss 12 which `has an internally threaded passage for the reception of a screw 13 forming an abutment axially in line withthe center line of the valve 5 and also with the passage through the body 1. Mounted on this screw is a water deflect-ing plate 14.

For maintaining the valve on its seat against the pressure of the air in the sprinkler system, l provide a strut in the form of a fusible link which in its preferred form consists of the fulcrum plate 9, one of whose ends is centered. upon the boss 6 of the valve 5 as above noted and whose opposite end is engaged by one arm of a flying lever 15. This latter consists of a length of metal strip bent or otherwise formed so that its two parts extend at an angle to each other of slightly more than90o and its short arm adjacent its free end is provided with a depression for the reception of the pointed end allel with and immediately adjacent to one face'of the fulcrum plate 9. A latch 18 has a flat body portion parallel with and immediately adjacent the other face of the fulcrum plate, and includes a tongue 19 projecting through a slot 20 in the fulcrllm plate 1 and also through a second slot 21 in the keeper plate; its extremity being bent down parallel with its body and lying parallel with and immediately adjacent the external face'ofthe keeper' plate 17",-constituting a hook in effect.

For properly positioning the elements 18,

9 and 17, the tirst of these is provided with.

e Ceetrel Circular depression 22 and the fillcrum plate is pressed' out on one side to form a projection designed to ent-er said depression 22 and on its opposite face to form a .depression 2,3; for the reception of a circular projection 241;` on the keepery plate. The free end of the long arm of the flying lever 15, like the end ofthe. tongue 19- ofthe kuch, has. thel form 0f ebook indicated 25, 'for preventing its' aecidental Withdrawal from the slot 1:6 Vof the keeper plate 17. The short arm of this lever has a transverse depression 26 formed in its face for.Y the reception of the upper end of the fulcrum plate and also has a central longitudinally extending rib 27 for stiffening and strengthening it.

Under conditions of use the'tongue 19 of the rlatch is inserted through the slots 2O and 21 of the fulcrum and keeper plates AWhen these occupy the relative positions shown. in Fig. 3' and thereafter these three elements are soldered or sweated together byA an alloy or metal hav-ing a definite loW fusingl point. f

The lower endof the fulcrum plate is then centered on the top ofthe valve 5 after this With its washer 4f has been mounted on the valVe'Seat, and the long endof the fulcrum 'awayl from thek fulcrum plate, but this action ispvrevented by the hooked or projecting arm of? the latch 18 whose body is` soldered .to the distant side of said fulcrum plate;

^ the vvalve being held in place against the pressure in the sprinkler system by reason of;E the pressure exerted on this latter plate.

When'the fusible metal connecting the elements of the link is melted or suliiciently softenedl by a predetermined rise of temper'ature, the pressure ofthe screw on the iiying lever causes the latter to turn onI the .f-ulcrum plate andl to draw the keeper plate away from the same, thereby swinging the latch on its tongue as a pivot as its b ody likwisey moves 'away from said fruilcruml plate, until said latchvassulmes such a position as toffree said keeper plate. The latter thenfpermits the flying lever to turn on the fulcrum plate to an extent suiicient to permit the latter to fall or to bc forcibly moved to one side by the pressure exert-cd on the valve, which thereupon is forced ofi` of its seat and permits the escape of air and water from'thepassage in the body l.

It is particularly to be noted that the bodies of the latch and the fulcrum and keeper plates are preferably made in the form of broad fiat sheets or plates having relatively large solder-connected areas, with the result that the link as a whole will possess comparatively great structural' strength and thus permit of the screw 13 being set up to exert a comparatively high pressure on the lever 15.

Moreover, owing to the fact that the outward pull or tension exerted on the horizontal arm of the keeper plate is transmitted directly to the tongue 19 of the latch, the leverage on the soldered joint between the body of said latch and the fulcrum plate may be reduced to a small amount, so that there is but a relatively lo-w stress on the fusible metal of said joint. Altogether the fusible. link is substantial, reliable and not likely to fail either by reason of the corrosion of the fusible metal on the one hand, or by such a sticking of its parts as to prevent their separation when exposed to a predetermined. temperature.

It is further to be noted that the parts of the link are of such forms as to be conveniently made of stamped' or pressed up sheet metal, thereby permitting of their accu-rate and relatively inexpensive manufacture.

lt is particularly vto be noted that while I have described the fusi-ble link forming part of my invention as havingcertain of itselements engaged by a valve and an abutment respectively'said link may be used in other combinations and other members substituted for the two noted, Without departing from my invention.

I claim;-

1. The combination in a sprinkler head of a val-ve;- an abutment; and a fusible link including a lover engaging'- one of said parts, a fulcrun'i plate engaging the other part and the lever, Iwith means including a latch, a keeper plate, and relatively fusible material separably connecting said latchI and keeper plate to the fulcrum plate, for normally 3. The combination in a fusible link of three substantially parallel plates; relatively fusible material separab-ly connecting said plates, one plate having a tongue connecting the other plates, the second plate having a projecting arm; with a lever engaging the third plate and also the projecting arm of the second plate.

4. The combination in a fusible link of three plates of which two have openings and the third includes a tongue extendin through said openings; relatively fusible material separably connecting said plates;

:till

with a lever fulcrumed on one of the plates' and engaged by another of the plates.

5. The combination of a fulcrum plate; a keeper plate adjacent and substantially parallel therewith; a hook member extending through and lying substantially parallel with said two plates for separably connecting the same; fusible material connecting the plates and the member; and a lever hooked to one of the plates and fulcrumed on the other.

In witness whereof I affix my signature.

ARTHUR C. ROWLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patente, Washington, D. C. 

